1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to oil condition sensors.
2. Background of the Invention
Automatically monitoring the quality of oil in an engine alerts owners in a timely fashion when maintenance should be performed as dictated by the actual condition of the oil. Performing maintenance when it is actually required is preferred over following a predetermined, one-size-fits-all schedule that might be too long or too short for any given vehicle, depending on the way the vehicle is driven. If too long a period elapses between maintenance, an engine can be damaged. On the other hand, conducting maintenance when it is not needed is wasteful both in terms of labor and in terms of natural resources. For example, if an engine doesn""t require an oil change but nevertheless receives one, oil is in effect wasted.
Accordingly, oil condition sensors have been provided for small engines, e.g., motor vehicle engines, that measure various parameters of lubricating oil, and to generate warning signals when maintenance is due as indicated by the condition of the oil. Among the parameters that are typically measured are oil temperature, contamination, and degradation. Unfortunately, many larger industrial engines, e.g., large diesel generators and heavy equipment engines, do not include any means for sensing the condition of the lubricating oil. Thus, in order to maximize the life of larger industrial engines, the lubricating oil must be constantly sampled and tested, e.g., in a laboratory.
The present invention understands that in order to incorporate a device that can continuously monitor the quality of the lubricating fluid in a large engine it may be necessary to make major modifications, such as modifying an existing oil pan or installing a new oil pan. As such, retrofitting an existing engine to include an oil condition sensor can be very cost prohibitive.
The present invention has recognized these prior art drawbacks, and has provided the below-disclosed solutions to one or more of the prior art deficiencies.
A system for determining oil condition includes an engine, an oil pan, and a pump in communication therewith. A bypass valve is installed between the engine and the oil pan. Accordingly, the bypass valve is energizable to divert oil to a measurement chamber where the condition of the oil is determined.
In a presently preferred embodiment, an oil condition sensor is disposed in the measurement chamber. Moreover, the system includes a control module that is electrically connected to the bypass valve and the oil condition sensor. The control module sends a signal to the bypass valve to cause the bypass valve to divert oil to the measurement chamber. Also, the control module receives a signal from the oil condition sensor that represents the condition of the oil. Preferably, the system includes a warning device that receives a signal from the control module when the condition of the oil falls outside a predetermined operating range.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method for determining oil condition includes installing at least one bypass valve in a lubrication system and installing a measurement chamber in fluid communication with the bypass valve. Then, the bypass valve is energized to divert oil to a measurement chamber where the condition of the oil that has been diverted is determined.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a lubrication system includes an engine and an oil pan. A bypass valve is installed in a fluid line between the engine and the oil pan and a measurement chamber communicates with the bypass valve. In this aspect of the present invention, a control module is electrically connected to the bypass valve. The control module includes logic means for energizing the bypass valve in order to divert oil from the lubrication system to the measurement chamber where the condition of the oil is determined.
The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: